Final answer:
Rivastigmine (Exelon) and similar medications are used to manage Alzheimer's disease symptoms by increasing acetylcholine in the brain, but they do not cure the disease. There is no current cure for Alzheimer's, but ongoing research aims to find more effective treatments and potentially a cure.
Step-by-step explanation:
Medications such as rivastigmine (Exelon) are used to manage symptoms of Alzheimer's disease but they do not cure the disease. Rivastigmine is a type of cholinesterase inhibitor which works by blocking the breakdown of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that is typically decreased in Alzheimer's patients.
This can enhance communication between neurons and may improve or slow the progression of symptoms, however, the cognitive decline and memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease cannot currently be reversed. Research continues in the hopes of finding more effective treatments and potentially a cure in the future; this includes early detection through blood tests for people at risk and studies into genetic factors influencing the disease.